We built an addition onto a small bungalow in a historic district, where we wanted to fully explore building with an ecological awareness. Fortunately, the historic review board supported our efforts and allowed us to stretch their guidelines, Most of the addition is strawbale construction, with lime plaster on the exterior, except parts which were visible from the street, which needed to be a clear extension of the existing bungalow (with wood siding). We also built all of the strawbale walls with volunteer labor – via workshops – which meant less-than professional work, which, we embraced aesthetically and let the walls become alive and sensuous (a builder friend said, “you’ve made a beautiful aesthetic out of poor construction!).
-
View from farmhouse kitchen, into intimate sitting room.
-
View across front Gallery - renovated existing home - into passageway to addition.
-
View across farmhouse kitchen with sitting room at back........featuring stair rail from salvaged steel.
-
View from back garden, of strawbale addition, with living roof.....including bay window clad in salvaged steel. Garden features storm water management pond and bog.
-
View from the street: The front yellow part is the original house, with the addition set behind.......using the same vocabulary to transisiton to the larger addition.
